Personnel from the Security Bureau and the Fire Services Department’s Disaster Response & Rescue Team today departed for Jiangmen special service fire station to conduct a 48-hour Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau joint emergency response and rescue exercise.

The exercise is being conducted to prepare for the implementation of an emergency mobilisation and co-ordination mechanism under the Greater Bay Area Emergency Response and Rescue Operational Plan. The plan is designed to strengthen capabilities in coping with contingencies such as disasters and natural hazards affecting the three places.

The drill will test the cross-boundary green channel, which is intended to facilitate the smooth flow of personnel, equipment and supplies at boundary control points during an emergency response operation, as well as activation and joint emergency command mechanisms under the operational plan.

This is not only the first time that fire rescue units from the three places will participate in a joint exercise on the Mainland, but also the first time that fire appliances from the Hong Kong SAR will be deployed to take part in one.

The governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau are expected to sign the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Emergency Management Co-operation & Greater Bay Area Emergency Response Operation Co-operation Framework Agreement in Hong Kong in mid-June.